H-D girls blast Lynx, remain in hunt for share of NCC title

Bulldogs pull away with glaring advantage at free throw line

February 5, 2013

HAMPTON - A glaring disparity at the free throw line didn't sit well with Webster City coach Nicole Muhlenbruch, and it ultimately led to a 14th straight setback for the Lynx here last night.

Hampton-Dumont shot 42 free throws to Webster City's nine and held a 23-3 scoring advantage at the stripe en route to a 62-38 North Central Conference victory.

"How can you beat a team that shoots 42 free throws when we shoot nine?" Muhlenbruch wondered. "You never want to blame anything on the (referees), but I just can't image there was that much of a difference."

WCHS (2-19, 2-16 NCC) was whistled for 33 fouls. Two players - Mikala Harrill and Hannah Myers - fouled out, and four other Lynx finished the game with four fouls.

Hampton-Dumont (17-3, 15-2 NCC) earned just 12 fouls.

Down by 19 points, 40-21, after three quarters, the Lynx clawed back to within 11 in the final period before the Bulldogs ultimately pulled away.

The inside-outside tandem of Taryn Barz and Jessica Speake scored 22 and 20 points, respectively, for Hampton-Dumont, which remained in contention of a piece of the conference championship. The Bulldogs can forge a tie with Fort Dodge St. Edmond with a victory over Algona in their final regular season contest.

Speaker (13) and Barz (10) combined to shoot 23 free throws.

Emily Elm buried a pair of 3-pointers and scored a team-high 10 points for the Lynx. Cambria Hoffmann also dialed it up from long distance twice and notched seven points. Kelsey Lindmark finished with six, Myers five and seven rebounds.

WCHS will be off until next Wednesday when it will open up Class 3A regional play at Humboldt.